Water Margin: Lu Bu sits on Mount Liang

The cold moonlight adorned the black sky. The main hall of the former Song Dynasty palace was brightly lit. The eunuchs, who were granted special permission to conduct the activity, lit candles and pointed out the items stored in the palace before being herded to the empty hall for centralized guard.

The patrolling soldiers, their swords at their waists, observed the unfamiliar surroundings with serious expressions. Occasionally, they would approach the shadows with torches and crossbows, investigate, and then emerge.

The soldiers carrying food came and went, and the aroma of wine and the smells of meat and vegetables filled the air. People carrying wine jars followed, and the sound of people asking for wine rang out instantly.

Zhang Conglong, Li Cheng, Li Gui, Yang Jin, and others, who were already drunk before the banquet or the hot dishes even started, were dragged to the side of the main hall by the guards without any regard for their image, thrown onto the felt mats, and fell into a deep sleep. Gradually, empty wine jars piled up in front of them, obscuring their figures.

In the center of the hall, Aliqi and Wanyan Huonv, who had taken off their armor and shirts, were wrestling shirtless. When they saw something exciting, cheers came from the people sitting around them.

Young Khitan and Jurchen generals such as Yelü Mawu and Tudan Hexi cheered each other on, hoping that their side could overwhelm the other side.

"Xiao Yi, aren't you going up?" Xu Guanzhong's eyes were a little red. He didn't know what the generals here were like, but there were definitely a lot of wine barrels. Even though he had traveled all over the country and considered himself to have a good capacity for alcohol, he still got a little tipsy.

"I need to take care of General Lu, so I won't go up."

Yan Qing glanced at the two people in the arena, then looked at Lu Junyi, who was swaying from drinking with Xu Ning. Holding up his wine bowl, he said softly, "Besides, the Han people of the North don't interfere in the fights between the Khitans and Jurchens, so there's no need for them to drag us into it."

Xu Guanzhong chuckled lightly: "It's rare that Xiao Yi sees things so clearly."

Yan Qing drank his wine and glanced at Xu Guanzhong: "Brother Xu, you haven't gained many military achievements in these few battles, aren't you regretful?"

“How could I not feel regret?” Xu Guanzhong shrugged. “But the war is not over yet, there is still a chance.”

Yan Qing looked at him, thought for a moment, and said, "Brother Xu, do you mean there will be members of the Song royal family..."

"Xiao Yi is indeed clever." Xu Guanzhong smiled and drank his wine. "However, this is not the last chance. There are still foreign countries. Judging from His Majesty's methods, Western Xia and Goryeo should be in his plans. I just don't know which one he will be able to catch up with."

“Oh…” Yan Qing’s eyes flickered, then his gaze turned to the high seat over there: “We had reports of the Goryeo affair before, how did you know about the Western Xia as well?”

Xu Guanzhong looked at the two young generals fighting in the arena and said calmly, "Qi occupied Liao, then overthrew Song, and Western Xia is getting in the way."

"Drink-"

A loud roar suddenly rang out in the Daqing Hall. Everyone present looked over and saw the two men with their four arms tangled together. Aliqi moved left and right a few times, sweat dripping from his forehead. Taking advantage of Wanyan Huonu's shift in weight, he swiftly inserted his foot between Wanyan Huonu's legs and hooked it backward.

Suddenly, the Northern Army's Captain Changshui raised his foot and kicked back at Aliqi's hooked ankle, simultaneously straining his tangled hands: "Hey—"

The moment he exhaled, Aliqi felt a sharp pain in his ankle. In his vision, Wanyan Huonu's sweat-drenched face drew closer, while the scenery in his peripheral vision rushed past.

bang——

He landed hard on his back.

"I... won!"

Catching her breath, Wanyan Huonv suddenly raised her hands high, her body covered in beads of sweat that flowed down her heaving chest like a stream.

Wanyan Loushi smiled slightly, clinked his wine bowl with Wulindatai, and drank it all in one gulp. Tudan Hexi and several other young men were already laughing and picking up wine jars to start drinking.

Across from them, several Khitan men, including Yelü Mawu, sighed and looked helplessly at the Jurchens who were swaggering around in the main hall.

"Damn it, if this were a horse-riding duel, I could beat you with one hand."

Aliqi sat up sullenly and glared at Wanyan Huonu. The Jurchen general on the other side didn't take it seriously, laughed and turned to leave: "You can't beat me at wrestling."

Aliqi straightened up, opened his mouth, and then collapsed as if deflated. The outcome of the fight was the only measure of his defeat, and he had lost today. Anything he said after the fact was just hindsight.

"Wonderful."

The voice came from the upper level. Lu Bu stood up, reached for the wine bowl, and looked at Wanyan Huonu: "The victor deserves a reward. Come forward and drink."

Wanyan Huonu came over in high spirits, first bowed to Lü Bu, then took the wine handed to her by her lord, gulped it down, wiped the wine stains from her lips, and grinned.

"I said it should be rewarded."

Lu Bu looked at him and nodded: "Take another beauty back to warm your room later."

Wanyan Huonu was overjoyed and immediately knelt down on one knee, clasping her hands in gratitude: "Thank you for your reward, Your Majesty!"

Lu Bu smiled at him and said, "Don't drink too much tonight, or you'll leave with two beauties but won't be able to enjoy them."

Wanyan Huonu patted her chest and shouted, "Your Majesty underestimates me! I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk!"

Aliqi, who was initially somewhat indignant, suddenly raised an eyebrow upon hearing the conversation and stood up: "A thousand cups without getting drunk? What a boast! I just won because of your trickery." He reached for a jar of wine from the table next to him, stretched out his arm, and shoved it towards them: "Come on, drink up! Whoever passes out first is a coward!"

Wanyan Huonu was furious: "You grandson, you wait!" Then she bowed to Lü Bu: "Your Majesty, this humble general will go and drink that boastful bastard under the table."

Lu Bu chuckled and glanced at the two men, then waved for them to come over.

Wanyan Huonv led the way, while Yelü Mawu, Tudan Hexi, and other young men hurriedly grabbed their wine jars and ran over.

I could only watch as the other person fell, but now that we're drinking, it's not a one-man show anymore.

The atmosphere of the banquet reached its peak. Lu Bu then slowly drank with Li Zhu, Wang Zheng, Fang Xuedu, and Li Ying, chatting occasionally.

Seeing that the young naval commander named Zhang Rong had drunk too much, spewing a fountain of liquid from his mouth and falling backward, he was pointed at and laughed at, and then dragged aside to sleep.

The four twins, Teng Kan, Teng Kui, Ma Qiang, and Ma Jin, staggered to their feet after drinking and ran out the door, the sound of them vomiting echoing into the hall.

As Du Xue, Sun An, Wei Zhaode, and Feng Tai were being held back by Yao Gang, Lu Zhishen, Niu Gao, and Li Bao, the noise of shouting and forcing them to drink rose up until Feng Tai collapsed, at which point a new round of forcing them to drink began.

"Tsk tsk, it seems there aren't many who will be able to enjoy this reward sober tonight." Lu Bu smiled and took a sip of wine.

"Your Majesty, your words sound like gloating." Li Ying chuckled and put a piece of meat in his mouth.

Even though Bianliang was a starved camel, it was still bigger than a horse. Despite last year's compensation, the grain reserves in the treasury were still a surprisingly large number. In addition, there were silk, gold, silver, and valuable items. Thinking about the upcoming tax revenue in the city, Li Ying was in a great mood recently, and the burden on his shoulders felt a little lighter.

Of course, he hadn't yet calculated what was in the armory, but he figured Wu Hu would be happy to feel the pressure on him lessen.

"You must have misheard." Lu Bu's smile remained unchanged. He paused, then looked thoughtfully at Li Ying: "Since Bianliang was taken so easily, what's next..." He looked at the dissolute generals: "Let's continue the war."

The men exchanged glances and nodded: "Which side does Your Majesty intend to attack first?"

A burst of laughter erupted from the military officers. Guan Sheng's large beard curled upwards in the air, and with a heavy thud, it slowly drifted down and covered his face. Tang Bin and Hao Siwen, who were beside him, swayed back and forth, and each of them was poured a bowl of wine by Mi Sheng and Zhao Li, turning into a fountain and lying on the ground.

"We will divide our forces into two groups and take over the western and eastern parts of Beijing. After all, I have been here for a long time and have some prestige, so it will be much easier than elsewhere."

As Lu Bu pondered, he slowly raised his wine cup: "Afterwards, head northwest, take over the area near Western Xia, and take the opportunity to test the fighting strength of the Western Xia people. If they are easily defeated, seize this opportunity to attack."

Looking down at Wang Zheng, who was nodding, he said, "If the Jingdong region falls, continue attacking the Huai and Si regions until we cross the river... However, this will require the cooperation of the navy."

The candlelight crackled and sparked, but it did not affect the brightness of the main hall.

Turning his gaze to the flickering sparks, Lü Bu glanced at Ruan Xiaoer, Li Jun, and the others sitting with Wei Zhaode and Hu Yanqing in the hall and slowly said, "We might not need so many naval troops to go south. Qiao Lie and Wanyan Zonghan are planning something in Goryeo, so we can send some of them over."

Li Ying's previously relaxed expression immediately turned serious. After a long pause, he spoke, "Your Majesty, these are the three armies... this..."

Lu Bu glanced at him sideways: "Is there a problem?"

Li Ying kept his head down and didn't speak. After pondering for a while, he raised his head and said, "If the conquest of various places goes smoothly and we capture a lot of spoils... that's not impossible. But if we get stuck in one place for half a year or a year, we might run out of money and supplies."

"That's fine then." Lü Bu was in a good mood. He chatted with the others for a while longer. Seeing that the moon was high in the sky and most of the generals in the hall were lying down, with only a few famous wine barrels still drinking together, he stood up and said, "Go and choose a woman from the harem later. I'm going to rest."

The four men beside him exchanged glances, said "see you off," and watched Lü Bu leave.

Wang Zheng stroked his chin: "Has the person been sent to the palace? I hope nothing goes wrong."

“I’ve already given the orders.” Assistant Li squinted and slowly said, “At this point, those delicate women are lucky to be alive, let alone dare to cause any trouble.”

“Come on, let’s finish this drink and go back.” Fang Xuedu raised his bowl: “I had my eye on a woman before, and I don’t want to go back to my lodgings too late.”

The other three watched him, happily taking their bowls.

bang——

……

A night breeze rustled through the courtyard, causing the trees to sway. Occasionally, a few weak bird calls could be heard; I wondered which concubine's pet was making such a sound at this hour, probably because it was hungry.

At the Funing Palace, where they were resting, the lights illuminated the small bedroom, where a slender figure dressed in bright yellow kept twisting the hem of her dress.

The girl was only sixteen or seventeen years old. Her black hair cascaded down her snow-white skin, and her bright eyes were like pools of clear water. Anyone would agree that she was beautiful, and her lovely face carried the unique liveliness of a young girl.

In the candlelight, her eyes darted nervously left and right, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she occasionally bit her rosy lips with her upper teeth, appearing tense and uneasy.

The night was silent when the sound of footsteps suddenly reached her ears, making the girl tremble. She stood up nervously, but then looked down at her toes, only to find that a pair of rabbit-shaped shoes blocked her view, preventing her from seeing the top of her shoes.

"You may all leave. Wake me up early tomorrow morning."

"Here!"

boom--

The door slammed shut, followed by the sound of footsteps passing through the outer room, and then a tall figure lifted the curtain and entered.

"Huh? Who are you?"

The powerful voice reached her ears, and the girl trembled. She clutched her clothes tightly in panic, her lips trembling as she whispered, "I...I...sin...slave...ooh..."

A choked sound came from his throat.

Lu Bu's face twitched. The question had just brought back some memories, and then a face he had just turned away from appeared before him.

It's your doing again...

Zhang sighed and asked, "What is your relationship to Zhao Ji and Zhao Huan?"

“Those…those are my father and brothers.”

The girl's clear, melodious voice pleased Lü Bu. He slowly walked over and stopped two feet away from her: "Zhao Ji has many children. Which daughter are you, and what is your name?"

"Twenty...twenty..." The girl's voice sounded somewhat dejected: "My name is Zhao Duofu."

Lü Bu nodded: "Your father's abilities are average, but I deeply admire his ability to father children."

"So many... what's so good about them?"

Zhao Duofu muttered something under his breath, which amused Lü Bu. He tilted his head to look at the girl who was still looking down and dared not raise her head: "Raise your head and let me see you."

Zhao Duofu twisted his fingers a few times before slowly raising his head.

Her bright, clear eyes were filled with reluctance, and her pretty face also showed a hint of shyness and anger.

Lu Bu felt a sudden light in his eyes; the girl's face made his weathered heart feel young again.

It has the shape of a cicada in its youth, about 80%...

His tiger-like eyes held a hint of reminiscence for the past, but Lu Bu quickly frowned again, as if recalling the faces of those people in his memory…

It's a bit blurry.

"What... what is Your Majesty thinking about?" Zhao Duofu looked at the person in front of him who seemed to be lost in memories, and couldn't help but feel curious.

She knew she was beautiful, and while in the room, she kept wondering how the Emperor of Qi would treat her, whether he would be driven mad by lust upon seeing her face. Little did she expect that after seeing her, the man would lose his focus.

"nothing."

Shaking his head, Lü Bu looked at the girl and chuckled again: "Are you not afraid of me anymore?"

Zhao Duofu's expression hardened, and he stepped back, covering his chest with his hands.

Lu Bu laughed heartily, walked to the bedside and sat down. He tilted his head to look at the wary girl, but didn't care. He simply stretched out his foot and said, "Help me change my clothes."

After a few moments of silence in the room, Zhao Duofu stood there, his expression shifting, before finally resignedly walking over, picking up the shoes he was wearing indoors, and taking off his men's boots to put them on.

What will you do to my mother?

Lu Bu tilted his head to look at the girl whose expression was obscured by her lowered head, and a slight smile appeared on his lips: "Let's see how you serve her tonight."

Zhao Duofu's body stiffened, his hands paused for a moment, then he changed the shoes for him and stood up: "What about my father and brothers?"

"I won't lie to you. Although I won't kill them, they can no longer stay in this Song territory."

Lu Bu also stood up and stretched out his arms. Zhao Duofu lowered his head and, somewhat clumsily, untied his belt and removed his outer garment, listening to the man's voice continue.

"I will send them to Liaodong to keep Yelü Yanxi company. They will never be able to return to the Central Plains in this lifetime."

Looking down at the girl's expression, Lü Bu raised an eyebrow: "It seems you're not worried?"

“I had a premonition about this before,” Zhao Duofu said softly. “It’s good enough that my father and brothers are alive; I dare not hope for more.”

"Aren't you going to ask about the fate of the other people in the palace?"

"At best, I'll just be someone's slave." Zhao Duofu took a breath: "Although I was born in the palace, I'm not someone who knows nothing. I've read many of the books that record this."

Lu Bu stared at her for a long time and said, "Zhao Ji is quite lucky."

His clothes were removed, revealing his well-developed muscles in the room.

The girl walked away, placed the clothes she was carrying on a chair, her ears flushed red, and looked down at the man in front of her, not daring to turn around and face him.

"A beautiful time and a lovely view..."

As the voice drew closer, the girl could feel the intense heat emanating from her back, even through her clothes.

"Let's not let each other down."

Plover, throw,, bed, hut, hut, yang, luan, sleep.

Nothing more was said that night. (End of Chapter)